The Fox Inheritance

Jenna Fox Chronicles #2

by Mary E. Pearson

Once there were three. Three friends who loved each other—Jenna, Locke, and Kara. And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, and then centuries.

Two-hundred-and-sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead.

Everyone except Jenna Fox.

Genres: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Fiction, Audiobook, Teen, Fantasy

304 pages, Hardcover

First published August 30, 2011

About the author

Mary E. Pearson is the International and NYT bestselling and award-winning author of multiple novels including her adult debut novel, The Courting of Bristol Keats, about a woman from a small town who is unexpectedly plunged into a world of gods, fae, and monsters.

Her other books include The Remnant Chronicles—The Kiss of Deception, The Heart of Betrayal, and The Beauty of Darkness—and its spin-off duology Dance of Thieves and Vow of Thieves. Mary's awards and honors include the Golden Kite for fiction, ALA Best Books, NYPL Best Books, IRA Choice Books, YALSA Teens Top Ten, Arkansas and South Carolina Young Adult Book Awards, and her science-fiction novel, The Adoration of Jenna Fox, was an Andre Norton Award Finalist. Her books have been translated into over thirty languages world-wide.

As a child she loved reading about and living in fantasy worlds. They were a portal to possibility that provided both escape and power. These days she loves writing about those worlds for the same reasons. She totally believes in magic, because, as one of her characters once whispered to her, “What is magic, but what we don’t yet understand?”

When she is not creating dangerous fantasy worlds, she enjoys the relatively safe pleasures of travel, gardening, friends, and family. Visit Mary on Instagram @maryepearson for book news and updates.

Reviews

[Tatiana · Rating 2 out of 5]

It pains me to say this, but The Fox Inheritance is an unnecessary sequel/sidequel/companion to The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Not a train wreck by any means and not poorly written, but a slog nevertheless.

The narrator of this novel is Locke (I am sure you remember him from Jenna's story). Locke and Kara's consciousnesses had been scanned and digitally saved for possible future use. Although Jenna destroyed the copies kept by her parents at the end of the first book, there was another illegal copy stored away. Now, 260 years later, a kindly scientist decides to bring Locke and Kara back and presents the teens with newly minted bodies. This scientist's intentions however are not as altruistic as they first appear...

What makes this installment different from its predecessor is that it is more action-oriented and more futuristic. Where The Adoration of Jenna Fox was an introspective, contemplative story, The Fox Inheritance is mostly running and hiding in the world of future. Unfortunately, these aspects of the novel are not Pearson's strongest areas. The chases lack tension and her version of future is only lightly sketched.

The parts about robotics and bioengineering are much better. Chapters describing Locke and Kara's minds' imprisonment in the digital vacuum are horrifying. A consciousness kept alive and running in an environment void of any stimulus is nothing short of hell.

Another strong point is Pearson's play with defining what is humanity. She portrays robots that are more full of life and compassion than people and contrasts them with people who lack simple humanity. Some such scenes are very, very effective and affecting. For example this one where a robot betrays to earn points to get himself legs and be freed of the connection to the main frame.

As a whole, though, The Fox Inheritance is just not sufficiently engaging. A lot of ground (the best points about bioethics and robotics, really) has already been covered in the book's prequel, and what is new is not that new or memorable. Frankly, I don't think The Fox Inheritance is a must-read for any fan of The Adoration of Jenna Fox. If this series continues, most likely, I will not be checking out any follow-ups.

[Maggie · Rating 2 out of 5]

“What I think is all I have left. My mind is the only thing that makes me different from a fancy toaster. What we think does matter-it's all we truly have.”

This companion novel was basically missing amost of the things I loved about the first book. The protagonist was slightly whiny and naive to me. The tone of the story, the atmosphere were very different. Way too fast paced, with to me meaningless action that felt like a filler in-between two books. The one and only plot thread that felt meaningful and dear to me here was Dot, their robot companion with dreams, and her whole precious storyline. 2.5 stars

All in all, this one shouldn't have been Locke's book. It should've been Kara's. I've read the annotation for the last book and it's also Locke's, which doesn't make any sense. If this was a companion trilogy about three friends, this one should've been Kara's and the last one Locke's. It didn't necessarily needed to change her ending, just the protagonist. Locke was a stagnant character in this instance here anyway. While Kara was an enigma and if the author just worked on her character a little more, made her a bit more complex then she seemed here, being in her head would've been fascinating and much more memorable.

[Claude's Bookzone]

DNF 38%

Have other books that I really want to read and this is just so so. May come back to it although I am less engaged by Locke's POV so it might stay parked indefinitely.

[Tabitha Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read The Adoration of Jenna Fox years ago, and loved it. Mary Pearson is a genius! Her books always have such depth, which is what I love most about her work. There is so much to love in The Fox Inheritance: forgiveness, guilt, avoidance, acceptance, change, and letting go. Pearson introduced the concept of darkness in people, and how it’s not the darkness itself that makes us bad, but how we choose to deal with it. Violence vs. mercy. Calculating, one-track minds vs. compassion and willingness to listen. Absolutely stunning.

In The Adoration of Jenna Fox, we learn that a car accident occurred, setting the whole story in motion. In The Fox Inheritance, we find out more about that accident, and we’re in the head of Jenna’s friend, Locke. Locke’s and Kara’s consciousness ends up spending 260 years in some sort of computer storage before they are given bodies and educated about the new world around them.

I absolutely loved how Pearson managed to take us back to the accident, and at the same time set the story 260 years after it happened. Locke seems simultaneously stuck back in his native time period, and yet also stuck in his new one. As a result, he has a very difficult time doing more than going through the motions of living, which isn’t how he’d lived his life before the accident.

Slowly, he learns to open his eyes to the reality of his new world and begin to deal with the things churning inside of him. In the process, he learns that some people aren’t who he thought they were, both in good ways and bad. It becomes an empowering experience for him, learning his strengths and weaknesses and setting himself on a path to discovering who he is now. Much like a normal adolescence, and yet it couldn’t be more different. Brilliant!

If you get a chance, definitely pick up a copy, and then read it a few times. There is plenty of fantastic subtly and subtext to explore here.

[Shannon A · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and enjoyable sequel in this series. I wasn't sure where the story was going to go after book 1 but this story was original yet well tied in with the first. I liked many of our new characters :)

[Kristi · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you have not read The Adoration of Jenna Fox, this review will be spoilery!

The Adoration of Jenna Fox, is one of my all time favorite novel. Ever. To say that The Fox Inheritance had a lot to live up to in my eyes... is an understatement. Although Jenna is still my favorite, The Fox Inheritance definitely makes an appearance on my list.

This story is different... a lot different than Jenna Fox. As the reader we're watching these characters deal with something completely different than what Jenna went through. There are more politics and technological advances... what Jenna's Dad started is barely a blip on the technology radar.

Locke and Kara were/are Jenna's best friends. You might remember that she finds them..... well finds their minds and disposes of them in hopes that they won't ever wake up to the nightmare that she has experienced. Only she didn't expect someone to have copies and she never expected to see her two best friends again.

Locke and Kara are two very distinct characters. It's unclear initially who they are... what they are. What their motives are, are they good? are they bad? Pearson does an excellent job presenting these two characters and weaving just enough of the past in with the present for readers to grasp how they must be struggling with this new world they've "awaken" to. My favorite character would be Dot Jefferson, if she doesn't make an impression on you... I may wonder if you're even human.

The plot was fairly simple, but the world and the details that Pearson created were far from that. An incredible story in an even more incredible series.

[Jay G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...

Jenna, Kara and Locke were best friends until an accident caused their minds to be stored in little black boxes when their bodies could no longer function. They spent decades together in a never ending vortex until one day Jenna disappeared. 260 years later, Kara and Locke are woken up, they have new functioning bodies. They don't know anything about this new world and everyone they once loved is long gone, everyone except Jenna Fox.


This is the second book in The Adoration of Jenna Fox trilogy. It is told from Locke's perspective, which I found intriguing. I liked him as a main character although he was very naive at times but I like how his character develops through out the story. I liked how Jenna was included in this story as well and it was great to see how her character grew and developed since the first novel. I loved the inclusion of futuristic aspects such as bots and the BioGel. Dot, a robotic cab driver, was definitely my favourite part of the story. She was hilarious and refreshing. It was interesting to see how humanity was defined in this book and it definitely made you think about the answer. I liked how it was hard to tell who should be trusted and who shouldn't be, it took me awhile to get everyone's intentions straight. The book has a very fast pace and it seemed to fly by for me. Overall, a fun read but nothing to memorable other than Dot ;)

[Maria Elmvang · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read "The Adoration of Jenna Fox" a couple of years ago, and really enjoyed it, so I had high hopes for this sequel. Unfortunately it didn't even come close to living up to my expectations. There were aspects of it I liked - especially the Bot-driver Dot - but as a whole it just didn't work for me. The writing was spotty (not just "disjointed for a reason" like in book one), the transitions didn't really work, and though the book tried to lead up to the resolutions of two conflicts, neither were really satisfyingly resolved, as Mary Pearson used what most of all seemed like a deux ex machina to kill too birds with one stone.

It was intriguing enough to keep me reading, which is pretty much the only reason why it gets 2 stars rather than just one, but that's all I can say in its favour.

[Colleen Houck]

I think I liked this one better than the first. The main character has a really strong voice and I really felt like I got to know him by the end of the book. The ending was a bittersweet one that felt just right. My favorite scene was the reunion with Jenna.

[Glinda Izabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tenterò con tutta me stessa di recensire questo romanzo limitando la dose di spoiler sul primo, Dentro Jenna, al minimo.
Come dice la trama, Jenna Locke e Kara sono un gruppo di amici che condividevano tutto, le passioni, gli eccessi e, inaspettatamente, hanno condiviso anche la morte. Come abbiamo visto in Dentro Jenna, dopo un tragico incidente stradale i tre hanno perso la vita straziando i cuori dei propri familiari. Tutto questo era avvenuto in un futuro imprecisato, se pur non lontano dalla nostra era, un futuro in cui la scienza aveva fatto passi da gigante. Grazie al BioGel inventato dal padre di Jenna infatti abbiamo scoperto che c'era la possibilità di ricreare organi perfettamente compatibili con il corpo ricevente, oltre che scansionare e fare un backup dei cevelli umani come si farebbe con un pc. Grazie a questo BioGel qualcosa di miracoloso era accaduto a Jenna, qualcosa che aveva cambiato la sua vita, ma anche le sorti del mondo scientifico, definitivamente.

Se vi state chiedendo che fine hanno invece fatto Kara e Locke, be' ne L'eredità di Jenna lo scopriremo. Ci troviamo 260 anni nel futuro, lo stesso futuro di cui Jenna ci aveva parlato alla fine del primo libro. Il mondo è cambiato, terremoti, eruzioni vulcaniche e guerre hanno modificato l'America e gli esseri viventi. Robot e Automi girano liberamente per le strade, lavorano al posto degli uomini, popolano le città e persone morte 260 anni prima ritornano alla vita.
Kara e Locke sono stati "ricostruiti" in laboratorio grazie a dei backup clandestini fatti dal padre di Jenna molti anni prima e ad alcuni frammenti di DNA a essi associati. Il vecchio BioGel ha fatto passi da gigante, tali da consentire al Dottor Gasbro di ridare la vita ai due giovani. offrendo loro una seconda possibilità. Ma si tratta realmente di un miracolo?
Mary E. Pearson, come in Dentro Jenna, solleva immediatamente temi morali ed etici, ponendo sul piatto della bilancia i pro e i contro dell'evoluzione scientifica e facendo nascere dubbi su ciò che fa di una persona "un essere umano".
La voce narrante in questo romanzo è Locke, che vive sulla sua nuova pelle le esperienze più disparate, legate alla sua natura di "creatura sperimentale". Locke è un personaggio di cui ci si innamora da subito grazie alla sua tenerezza e la sua ingenuità, oltre che per l'amore che nutre nei confronti di Kara.


Soli in un mondo sconosciuto, chiusi in un palazzo che per quanto sfarzoso somiglia sempre di più a una prigione, i due sentono crescere in loro il bisogno di tornare nel posto in cui sono nati, ma soprattutto quello di raggiungere l'unica persona di loro conoscenza che è rimasta in vita per tutto questo tempo. Jenna Fox, l'unica che in passato ha avuto il privilegio di essere salvata dal BioGel.
Se Locke vorrebbe reincontrarla per ascoltare la sua versione dei fatti e perché, molto segretamente, lei è stata l'ancora della sua sanità mentale nei 260 di buio che il ragazzo ha vissuto; i fini di Kara sono molto meno nobili e possono essere riassunti in una sola parola: vendetta. Così inizierà la loro fuga verso la libertà, in un universo totalmente diverso da quello che conoscevano, accompagnati dall'avventurosa, e adorabile, Dot Autista-Robot molto vicina alla missione dei due ragazzi.
Il viaggio che li vedrà protagonisti risponderà a molte domande ma ne farà sorgere molte altre, specialmente in Locke la cui crescita interiore, ma anche fisica, è palpabile di pagina in pagina. La destinazione riserverà non poche sorprese per entrambi, impegnati a combattere due battaglie diverse: Locke lotterà per ritrovare se stesso, Kara per avere la vendetta che tanto anela.

La Pearson ha giocato con la fantascienza dando vita a un futuro distopico molto fantasioso che stuzzica il lettore, pur senza mai fornire troppi dettagli sul come o sul quando il mondo sia giunto a certi cambiamenti. Come nel precedente romanzo, sono davvero molti i quesiti sull'etica e sull'essenza della vita, come quelli sul significato dell'essere al mondo.
E' incredibile come ci si riesca ad affezionare a un semplice Robot, tra l'altro privo di gambe, che non si sa come è in grado di sognare la libertà. Un po' come ne L'uomo Bicentenario, film che adoro, viene infatti affrontato il tema spinoso degli Automi e di come alcuni di loro, incomprensibilimente, posseggano una sorta di "anima".
Molto ben riuscito il personaggio di Locke, la cui maturazione conquista e avvince. Il modo in cui spesso lui si ponga le stesse domande che contemporaneamente sorgono nella mente del lettore, rende il romanzo incredibilbente credibile. Davvero belle le scene d'azione, se pur non tante come si spererebbe, ma ancor più indimenticabili sono i momenti che coinvolgono i sentimenti e i colpi di scena, in grado di commuovere anche il cuore più duro. Non ci resta che attendere il terzo libro della serie, dopo l'avvincente finale che apre numerosissime possibilità!

[Gertie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those rare times when I actually wanted to read more than book 1 in a series. It wasn't because of one of those manipulative cliffhangers, either. I just loved book 1 that much.

Book 2 was good, but it didn't recapture what I felt in book 1 - that feeling of synchronicity with a character, where the thoughts are understandable and the decisions make sense, given the situation. With book 2, Locke was all over the place.

Don't get me wrong, he's a nice enough guy. But he's gullible and naive, and he makes bad decisions, sometimes in the guise of not making a decision at all. I'm not talking about the cute type of naivete that just comes with inexperience and innocence - this is a more frustrating naivete that just doesn't make sense oftentimes. Many of the developments in the book are SO incredibly obvious, but Locke is too blind and cowardly to think things through to the likely answers.

I have to say, I got REALLY annoyed with him when he was still playing the "maybe Kara is not evil" mindgame, even though she obvious was completely fucked up, when Kayla was in danger. There are some times when you just DO NOT take chances.

I "read" the audiobook version. The narrator is fine, maybe slightly stilted at times, but no big issues.

GERTIE GAUGE:
Thinking about book while not reading it: Yes, I looked forward to finishing where I left off.
Characters worth rooting for: Yes, I had leftover affection for Jenna from book 1, and liked Locke despite his inconsistencies.
Suspension of disbelief: It pushed it a little here, mainly due to Locke's sometimes contradictory lack of logic and understanding.
Emotional engagement: Yes, enough.
Mental engagement: It could have been stronger on this, but it does have topics of discrimination and classism. It also makes you think a bit about the future and what it might hold, not just technologically but also from a societal perspective.
Memorability factor: 7/10 I'll probably just remember this one as "the Locke one".
Quality of writing: I do like the writing style, it's clear but also frequently well-thought out.
Elevator one-liner: It's a sequel, about a kid that wakes up 260 years after a car wreck.
Laugh/cry/react: Though it was engaging, it didn't get any strong reactions.
Cliffhanger: Not really. One of the things I like about this and the book before it is the author manages to find that perfect balance between closure and curiosity.
Romance good, bad, n/a?: Not fully explored.
Errors: N/A, audiobook.
Okay with rec'ing to a friend?: Definitely.
Follow this author? Yes.

[Elle (ellexamines on TT & Substack) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. The first and third book are both awesome, but this book is the clear weak link.

This isn't so much a series as three standalones with the same characters, and this standalone feels messy. While the other two books succeed from slow-build plot and smart thematic work, this book feels like a flat book of action. Pearson's strength is in theme and character work, not action, and it shows here. Pearson's action work is fairly boring, in my view, and without interesting characters or themes, there's nothing appealing about the book.

WORLDBUILDING AND PLOT

To be totally fair, I think this had some good plot work and worldbuilding. It's easy to get through, at the very least. It's just ultimately forgettable.

The worldbuilding here is good, just not good enough. There's more telling than showing. Mainly, it just feels very disconnected from book one because it takes place so much later.

The plotting is... decent. Pearson certainly has a talent for dramatic tension. I just don't like Pearson's action scenes much; they're dry and boring. Her strength is in character work, but this book doesn't focus on any character in particular.

CHARACTERS

This is where my main problem with the book pops up. This is a trilogy focusing on three friends, but the books only focus on two, Jenna and Locke. Those two characters are both great. Locke is a likable enough narrator, but he's slightly flat here. He's far more interesting and developed in book three. Jenna is as cool as ever; I really love her as a heroine.

Kara's character is actively terribly written, and perhaps my biggest problem with this book. She's used as a plot device, not a character. This should've been Kara's book. There isn't a character journey here and it shows. Jenna's character journey is in book one, Locke's character journey is in book three, and both of those are great. Having Kara as the narrator in book two and giving her a character journey would've elevated this series.

Mostly, I just want to tell you all to read ignore that this book isn't that great, read it quickly because it's easy to get through, and then hurry right on over to book three.

[P.J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

book 22 for 2011.
The best thing about getting ARCs at library conferences is picking up a gem and having no idea you were doing it at the time. You feel like you've won the book lottery. And it's even better when the book rocks. That's how I felt a few years ago when I picked up THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX by Mary Pearson (Henry Holt, 2008). The book was a perfect mix of science fiction (light sci-fi, mind you), character development and mystery.

The next best thing about getting ARCs at library conferences is going with a specific book in mind you are really looking forward to and getting it. Enter...

THE FOX INHERITANCE (The Jenna Fox Chronicles) by Mary Pearson (Henry Holt, August 30, 2011)

First, I was psyched when I saw there would be a sequel to JENNA FOX. I admit I was a bit dubious at first that the sequel would not live up to the level set by the first book. So let me get that out of the way right off the bat. THE FOX INHERITANCE I dare say is better that the first book. I personally enjoyed it more.

I think what makes this sequel work so well is how

1. It has new characters that we love (and they are actually the main characters of the story)
2. It is set so far in the future that what happened in the past is not hardly relevant. It is a standalone story and works perfectly as one.
3. Well-thought-out World Building. I love this world 200+ years in the future.


THE FOX INHERITANCE is highly recommended for fans of THE INHERITANCE OF JENNA FOX and I believe would even work well for those who have not read the first book.

[Jasmine · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's honestly getting a bit weird that all the teen fiction I'm reading is american, I mean do teens just have no horizons outside their own country? come on kids.

but really I'm ranting. I like this book it's actually better than the first one. some reviews say this is an unnecessary sequel, that's true, but it isn't about whether sequels are necessary it's about whether they are worthwhile. I mean so many teen books try to force you into the reading the sequel by leaving out part of the story. Pearson doesn't do that. she follows the formula of mystery/crime novels and serial television the story ends fully in the first book and the second book finds an interesting thread and creates a new story around it. You could read this book without the first book although like when I almost read the hmmm ruth galloway (was it?) books out of order you can tell something is a bit off. these are great though ideal. the author grows as a narrator between the two books, the characters grow. the story again revolves around technology but this one is less philosophical and more emotional. I recommend it.

[Liza Wiemer]

Picked up the ARC of The Fox Inheritance at the BEA and wow! Mary Pearson did an amazing job on the sequel to The Adoration of Jenna Fox. Find out what happens to Kara and Locke, the two characters Jenna was with in a car accident in book one. (She tries to help them when she discovers that her father has downloads of their brains.) Imagine having your brain trapped in a box for 260 years and the ramifications of having your body recreated and enhanced from a small amount of DNA. A fascinating concept in a world created by Mary Pearson allows the reader to imagine what life will be like several hundred years from now. Medical ethics are questioned, the reader will ponder what makes us human. I love how the reader is kept guessing about friend and foe. I love the "bots" and their impact, especially the rebel Dot. I love the futuristic descriptions of locations such as Boston and San Diego. In the acknowledgments there is a hint that there might be a third book in the series. I sure do hope so. I love reading the futuristic world created by Mary Pearson's imagination!

[Dichotomy Girl · Rating 3 out of 5]

A companion novel to The Adoration of Jenna Fox, interesting, but not quite as compelling as the first book. (It's hard to give a good review to this book, without accidentally giving spoilers of the first book)

[Jade Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started out by reading this as an audiobook, and it was good, but for some reason it just didn't captivate me that way. So I set it down for a long time because I really didn't have any motivation to pick it up. Yeah, the story was intriguing but the form of the book I had chosen just didn't make me that interested in it. Once I was able to read the physical version by itself, then the book became A LOT better for me. It just sped up the pace, everything became so intense. This could be because I stopped the audiobook just as the book hit that point where everything started to happen, or the audiobook just didn't portray the pacing very well. I did feel like this book had a slow start, which I understand why, because explanation was definitely needed, but it took too long to get started.

Once the book actually got going and the general explanation was over, I enjoyed this book so much more. The change of pace was great! The futuristic aspects that the author chose were obviously researched and were seemingly realistic enough to be believable while still including aspects that pushed the boundaries of what we think is possible. She did an amazing job. I also enjoy this author's writing style and how she writes the characters inner monologues. You can clearly tell the difference between how these characters minds work, and you can see the different parts of their personalities and why they make certain decisions because of that.

Something, or rather someone, that annoyed me for the entire book was Kara. I think I may have misunderstood her. At least that is what I came to believe by the end based on the choices and decisions she made. I just didn't fully understand her character until it was explained that parts of her and Locke, and others, could've gotten lost or erased or some equivalent term to that. I was just confused whether her attitude was genuine or because she was lacking something due to it being lost. I'm still a little confused by Kara, even after the ending. It just didn't seem like a completely closed end on her side of it. I'm hoping to see more about her in the next book.

[Mila | zeilendrache · Rating 2 out of 5]

Das Ende wurde etwas besser. Trotzdem meiner Meinung nach kein gutes Buch. Bin nach dem ersten Band echt enttäuscht.

[Isabella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Come molti di voi ben sapranno, L'eredità di Jenna è l'atteso seguito di Dentro Jenna, pubblicato poco tempo fa dalla Giunti nella collana Y e che finalmente ha raggiunto i nostri scaffali con una copertina a cui, lasciatemelo dire, non riesco proprio a resistere (ho un debole per il blu, lo ammetto).

Diversamente dal primo romanzo della serie, se così vogliamo considerarla date le innumerevoli differenze tra le due storie, la narrazione si concentra su due personaggi che avevamo avuto modo di conoscere soltanto in superficie, ma che avevano sempre avuto un peso notevole all'interno della storia: Locke e Kara, i due migliori amici di Jenna coinvolti insieme con lei, duecentosessanta anni prima dell'inizio del romanzo, nell'incidente d'auto che li ha uccisi.
Non mi dilungherò a delineare la trama a grandi linee, perché esattamente come la Pearson aveva fatto con Dentro Jenna, anche questo seguito non ha una storia molto consistente, ma si concentra più che altro sulla descrizione del percorso di Locke, narratore a mio parere sublime, che visitando un mondo a lui completamente nuovo ed entrando in contatto con verità che lo sproneranno a crescere, sarà costretto a rivalutare tutte quelle che erano le sue convinzioni e a comprendere, aprendo lentamente gli occhi di fronte alla realtà, che tutti cambiano... e anche lui.

Lo avevo detto anche nella mia recensione di Dentro Jenna, e dopo aver letto L'eredità ne sono ancora più sicura: chi di voi sia in cerca di un romanzo di azione, di qualcosa che vi faccia battere il cuore come nient'altro, di una storia farcita dagli avvenimenti più inaspettati... allora non credo apprezzerete un viaggio introspettivo come questo. Ma se siete curiosi, e volete provare a leggere qualcosa in cui ogni frase sarà uno spunto di riflessione, allora datevi pure alla pazza gioia, perché questo è proprio il vostro libro.
Ne L'eredità di Jenna vi ritroverete davanti una storia che, nella sua semplicità e scorrevolezza (nonostante il numero di pagine, infatti, l'ho divorato in pochissimo tempo) saprà conquistarvi grazie a dei personaggi semplicemente amabili e ben descritti, tra cui ritroveremo una Jenna ormai adulta, anche se nel corpo di una diciassettenne, conosceremo Kara, ragazza tormentata che non riesce a dimenticare, Dot, robot dall'animo umano e molte altre figure, ognuna con una sua storia da raccontare. Tra tutti, però, non potrete fare a meno di amare Locke, il giovane narratore che, dopo aver vissuto più di due secoli in un abisso, torna più adolescente che mai con i suoi turbamenti, le sue paure, le sue incertezze... e durante tutto il romanzo, con le sue riflessioni ed esperienze riscoprirà se stesso e i suoi desideri, tornando finalmente a vivere, lasciando il lettore con la promessa di un futuro diverso.

Sicuramente L'eredità di Jenna rappresenta un'altra prova del valore della Pearson quando si tratta di descrive storie introspettive e, in una parola, belle.
Ho adorato questo romanzo e, anche se Dentro Jenna sarebbe potuto essere considerato senza troppi problemi come auto-conclusivo, l'autrice è riuscita a gestire la sua storia con maestria senza scadere nel banale e appassionandomi.
L'unica cosa che non ho apprezzato fino in fondo è stata l'ambientazione distopica pressoché inesistente che, se approfondita, avrebbe potuto attirare ancora più amanti di questo genere. Ovviamente, viste le finalità dell'autrice, questa piccola mancanza non è apparsa pesante durante la lettura e non ha minato la crescita dei personaggi, però rimane comunque qualcosa che avrei voluto scoprire, soprattutto dopo aver letto di Iscroll e altre trovate davvero interessanti!

Consiglierei questo romanzo a tutti gli amanti delle storie introspettive, che vogliano provare a leggere qualcosa di diverso e che sicuramente non deluderà nessuno aspettativa.

[☆Stephanie☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: The Fox Inheritance (Jenna Fox Chronicles, #2)
Author: Mary E. Pearson
Publisher: Henry Holt and Company (BYR), 2011
Genre: YA Dystopia, YA Science Fiction

This review can be found on my Blog, TeacherofYA's Tumblr, or my Goodreads page

My Review:

After reading The Adoration of Jenna Fox, I was intrigued to see how the story continues. I knew from checking ahead that 260 years pass, and that the sequel involved Locke and Kara. I didn't know how different it would be from the first book, though.


WARNING...THERE WILL BE SPOILERS FOR THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX, AS THIS IS SOMETHING UNAVOIDABLE. THERE IS A MYSTERY IN THE FIRSR BOOK, AND BY SECOND BOOK, IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DOSCOVERED. SO PLEASE, IF YOU PLAN ON READING THE ADORATION OF JENNA FOX, AND YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED, DO NOT READ PAST THIS POINT, AND JUST GO AHEAD AND ASSUME MY REVIEW IS AWESOME AS USUAL. THANK YOU.

[Tiffany Neal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Adoration of Jenna Fox when I read it over a year ago. I loved the concept, the characters, the emotional impact, the intrigue,and the author's engaging writing style.
I tore through The Fox Inheritance, just starting it last night, which obviously tells you it was hard for me to put down. I loved hearing the story from Locke's point of view (and thankful for Pearson's subtle reminders from the 1st book since it had been so long since I last read it). I'm a huge fan of futuristic, yet painfully realistic settings, and this one did not disappoint. While I did not feel as emotionally involved with Locke and Kara's story, it was definitely heart wrenching and equally painful for their minds to be trapped for 260 years.
This book was much more action packed and filled with themes of humanity. I thoroughly enjoyed this even though it was much different than the first one.

[Christina (Ensconced in Lit) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I guess people have different perspectives on this novel versus Jenna Fox, but while I thought Jenna Fox was beautifully written, it was so enclosed by location and plot that I felt like the story was limited.

This was not the case for the Fox Inheritance. Locke and Kara were more intriguing to me than Jenna was-they were cooped up for years and then... didn't come back right? And the world had to get so much bigger now that we have fast-forwarded 200 years in the future and they have to come cross country to find Jenna. However, the star in the novel was Dot. She was the bravest non-human I've ever met! I was impressed by the scope of the novel, the description of how everything had changed, and the new technology that had been developed. All of these things were far more difficult to do in a book and I believe that Pearson succeeds.

This book is definitely a must read for any dystopian YA fans!

[oliviasbooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, I cannot stand it, when characters are so dense that they cannot see their own feet, and when the reader has to wait the whole length of a book for the hero to mentally (i.e. in the case of Miesha) or emotionally (i.e. in the case of Kara) catch up. In addition working in that abused-robot-idea to hammer home the what-does-it-need-to-be-called-human-question has been quite unnecessary - as cute'n loyal as Dot the Bot turned out to be.

All in all it's - like Tatiana already stated - a more or less superfluous sequel to a story that did not need any kind of continuation - especially considering that said story already boasted a rather comprehensive epilogue, which briefly covered all bases.

[Carly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book makes me wonder what I saw in the first book. I LOVED the first book in the series about Jenna, but this book was just...weird. I don't know - I think I just dislike Kara a LOT. Or is that just me? Like damn, get over it Kara...Yes, I have no clue how it would be to be stuck in this mindless limbo for 260 years, and maybe I would turn out like Kara because of it, but still. Eh, this book just fell short for me, especially how I barely remembered what happened in the first book. Alright read.

[Mamatufy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sequel takes a different path from the usual. In this one the focus is not Jenna but the 2 friends left behind, Kara & Locke. They have been brought back & it's 260 years after they supposedly died. Jenna has gone on living & Kara & Locke cannot understand why she didn't come back for them. The story climax is when all 3 are finally reunited & the shocking finale for one of the main characters. Intriguing & interesting & a little sad look at the future. Sure to be a hit amongst my Jenna fans.

[Wendy Holliday · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars... rounded up to 4 in our star system.

I liked it. It lacked some excitement...

I wish she had done a bit more 'world building', as the little glimpses into it were charming (chocolate peaches? iScroll? I need one of those...)

It was a very introspective-type book, and you barely realize it's dystopian ... maybe it isn't really dystopian, as that is not a major plot point in the book.

It's more like sci-fi lite.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the suspense and strangeness of these books. The whole idea of living forever of course fascinates me as a human being. The whole mad scientist thing freaks me out though. Anytime people are altered, be it good or bad, it freaks me out. This was an enjoyable book that I wish I had read after reading the first one. I think there is too much time between the first one and this sequel.

[BookChic Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing sequel/companion novel, just as great as the first book - full review to come soon.

[Ashton · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Maybe the impossible is possible when you take everything else away."

[Rennai · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 to 4 stars for me. I was intrigued that the sequel to The Adoration of Jenna Fox would be set 260 years after the first book (even though I knew that Jenna had the capacity to live as a 17 year old for an indefinite number of years). This story is told from Locke's point of view. He and Kara (Jenna's two best friends who were killed in the car accident they were all involved in prior to the start of book one) are in some sort of institute and their minds have been freed from the black boxes and they have been made bodies (identical/almost identical) to the ones they had before the accident. All is not well as the first chapter indicates. There is a feeling of dislocation and tension. Locke seems okay with his new life but Kara is resentful and restless (Locke notes that she was not the "same" Kara as before). Without too many spoilers, the two "escape" the institute and go on the run with the aid of a Bot and their former carer. They are heading to find Jenna. They want to know why she did not try to help them during their 260 years of purgatory. I enjoyed the glimpses into the future that Pearson imagines where life-like Bots do the jobs that many humans used to (and many other technological advances make life easier). Pearson continues the social/moral discussion started in book one and asks "what makes someone/something "human" and is it right to treat beings differently based on their "biology, politics, social status etc. Very readable and leds one to want to coninue the series.